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A practical method for the detection of macroprolactinaemia using ultrafiltration.
Susana Prazeres1, M Amparo Santos, H Gil Ferreira
1Department of Endocrinology and Laboratory of Endocrinology, Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Lisbon, Portugal.
Clinical Endocrinology
|June 5, 2003
Summary
A new centrifugal ultrafiltration (UF) method accurately detects macroprolactinaemia by estimating big-big prolactin (bb-PRL) percentages. This simple, inexpensive assay provides results comparable to polyethylene glycol precipitation.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Macroprolactinaemia is a condition where prolactin circulates as a large complex, potentially leading to misdiagnosis.
- Accurate quantification of prolactin isoforms is crucial for correct diagnosis and patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel centrifugal ultrafiltration (UF) method for estimating the percentage of big-big prolactin (bb-PRL) in serum.
- To assess the utility of this UF method for detecting macroprolactinaemia.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from patients with and without macroprolactinaemia were analyzed using gel filtration chromatography (GFC), UF, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation.
- A simple algorithm was employed to calculate bb-PRL percentages using the UF method.
Main Results:
- The UF method demonstrated a high percentage of bb-PRL in patients with macroprolactinaemia (83 +/- 5.3%) compared to those without (16 +/- 19%).
- Results from UF were highly significant (P << 0.001) and showed tighter clustering compared to GFC, similar to PEG precipitation.
- The UF method yielded comparable bb-PRL percentages to PEG precipitation in both patient groups.
Conclusions:
- Centrifugal ultrafiltration offers a simple, cost-effective method for macroprolactinaemia detection.
- The UF method requires only two prolactin assays and provides reliable results consistent with established PEG precipitation techniques.